I’ll never forget the day our young family was traveling somewhere in our van when my little girl wiggled her way to the front of the van to ask me the question: “Dad, who do you like better, Me or the Devil.”
I looked back at her wondering why she would ask such a question and she had this twinkle in
her eye and a big smile on her face as she knew what I was going to say. So I indulged her and
told her, “You know I don’t like the Devil but I sure love you.” She giggled a bit and then went
to her Mother and asked the same question – “Who do you like better Me or the Devil?” She askthe question to each member of the family, everybody but her teasing brothers told her that they liked her and couldn’t stand the devil.
I don’t know what to make of my girl asking such a question. Asking if we like the Devil more than her was a pretty safe question. She sure isn’t pitting herself against much competition. Maybe that was the point. My daughter knew we loved her more than the Devil, so she asked us this question because it was safe and knew we’d affirm her and make her feel important and valued.
As I was thinking of my little girl, I wonder if there is a part of us that wants to ask safe questions that affirm us and says, “We’re OK – We’re Loved”. We live in a world that demands so much of us that we’d ask the most ridiculous questions just to get some affirmation.
Forget the ridiculous begging questions – hear God’s affirmation of us in His Word:
“And from far away the Lord appeared to his people and said, “I love you people with a love that will last forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3 NCV)
“This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:9–10 NCV)
Now don’t you feel better?
Pastor Mark
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